The Salt Shaker Tale
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The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
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The Birds (Collector's Edition)
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Childhood memories of chasing birds #1
When I was about three years old, I began chasing and trying to catch the birds in our yard. My dad sang the Mockingbird song to me everynight, and in my mind, I thought catching a bird was something that people could do with their hands. No one put out bird feeders in those days. Birds were plentiful because the environment had not yet been saturated with insecticides. We did throw out bread crumbs and scraps from the table which attracted all types of wildlife.
One day, in 1949, my father was working on our car and had apparently been watching me chase the birds for about an hour. After many attempts to run up and grab one, I finally sat down on the ground and started to cry because the birds would not let me touch them, or even get close enough to see them. They always flew away before I could reach them.
My dad came over and sat down beside me and told me that the birds were much too fast for me to run up to and grab, but he knew of one way I might be able to catch the birds. He told me I would have to get the salt shaker off the kitchen table and very slowly creep up to the bird, making sure it did not see me. Then, quick as the wind, I had to sprinkle salt on its' tail. The bird would then be so surprised that it would just sit there and let me catch it! He explained that it wouldn't be easy because I had to creep up very, very slowly, and be very, very patient and stay as hidden as best I could, or the birds would see me coming and fly away.
I never cried about my failure to capture a bird after that. My dad had given me "The Way" and with great confidence and tenacity, I spent many hours, salt shaker in hand, trying to creep up slowly behind the birds to sprinkle the salt on their tails. And when my little brothers came along, I taught them the tale of salting the birds tails, as they got big enough to play with me. We spent many carefree days entertaining ourselves with those salt shakers as we tracked, crept around silently, and hid from the birds in an attempt to get close enough to put salt on their tails.
Of course, no one ever caught a bird with a salt shaker, but it kept us out of the adults hair, taught me good stalking concepts for later woodsmanship, perseverance, and above all, patience. At least, until I was old enough to understand that I would never be able to capture a bird by putting salt on its' tail.
When I grew up and had my son, I told him the same salty tale about the time he turned four years old and began to chase the birds. He didn't buy the story like I did, though. After a few hours, he figured out that the birds could not be captured that way and very pointedly told me so.
Salt shakers for collectors
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Texas Metal Tea Pot Salt & Pepper Shakers-Made in Japan
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Royal Winton Chintz "Summertime" Salt & Pepper Shakers
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1960 Squeaking Pigs Salt & Pepper Shakers In Orig. Box
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Comments
Karen, I love when a writer opens the door so that I can visit my memories.
I knew nothing about catching birds when I was a child (except that my mother had the magical ability to mimic a bird call, but never wanted to catch a bird). I learned from my ex how to do that. And he learned it from his father and grandmother.
My ex had a big beard, like his father. In the early evening, after supper, he would sprinkle his beard with sunflower seeds and stand out underneath the pines on his father's country road and wait.
It didn't take long for the chickadees to gather. My ex had the patience of a saint about this. The birds would approach, then fly away, then come back again. He just waited in stillness, like a statue. Eventually, the birds would land on his beard and eat the seeds. At the same time, he had seeds in his hands. So he'd slowly open his hands, so not to startle the birds. Not long after, he'd be covered in birds. A big, red-headed, bearded man, covered with chickadees.
What a beautiful remembrance from your past. All clever and smart parents pull things off on us kids. Your dad sounds like mine (and that's another story). He was pulling your leg, and you love him for it.
Warmest regards, S.
Yep, another awesome story told in an open and unassuming voice. You're good. Your dad sounds awesome.
Thanks Shadesbreath. He was awesome to me. I appreciate your assessment of my writing. It is difficult for me to know how others see or interpret my work and you have just given me a boost I need to continue writing...Thanks again!
Karen LaVelle =o)
Our kids grow up much faster than we did. No surprise he caught on so fast. But what a cute story, a wonderful way to help you persevere during what was an emotionally exhausting time for you.
Thank you, and how right you are about presevering a difficult time, too. I had not thought about it that way. I only knew that I could not fall back into a bottomless pit of dispair. And the kids grew up way too fast IMHO. Times Change. Thanks again for reading my story!
Karen LaVelle
I heard this one too! Only I eventually got in trouble for taking the salt shaker outside :-( Sally's Trove, you sound like you have a hub of your own there -- how cool!
Thanks dineane! I think the folks thought the peace and quiet they achieved when they let me have the salt shaker was worth the spilled salt! LOL =o)
And I DID challenge Sally'sTrove to spill the beans about her bearded bird charmer! Can't wait to see it! Thanks again!
Karen LaVelle
Yes Indeed!
I had heard the salt shaker tale as well-- but never believed it. I think this must have been the ways people kept their kids entertained and out of their hair before TV.
I can remember making a "bird trap" A box with bread crumbs under it--propped up with a stick attached to a string that went almost all the way around our house. I could watch outside of my bedroom window.
Some birds came around-- but the "yank" was verry delayed. I never caught one.
Hi Rochelle! I probably wouldn't have believed it either but I was 3 and I really wanted to please my dad. By the time my brothers came along and I had to keep them entertained, I used that story for all it was worth...and I had to take them fishing more often than not!
I was almost grown by the time I read about making bird traps. I never tried it...maybe I will test it out now, however. I think everyone ought to be able to catch a bird just in case....you never know what skills we will need tomorrow.
another project I would like to do, and hopefully I will get around to it sooner than later, is making a fire with sticks or string and sticks...oh well, I will save that for another story! Thank you for your bird trap suggestion..I really will try it! =o)
Karen LaVelle =o)
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trish1048 says:
17 months ago
Oh! another very cute story!! I vaguely recall hearing about putting salt on a bird's tail. I've never tried it but how clever that it was a way for your dad to keep you occupied with a 'mission'.
Great hub, thanks for sharing!
Trish